History of Richard II

Henry IV. Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son?
2575'Tis full three months since I did see him last;
If any plague hang over us, 'tis he.
I would to God, my lords, he might be found:
Inquire at London, 'mongst the taverns there,
For there, they say, he daily doth frequent,
2580With unrestrained loose companions,
Even such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes,
And beat our watch, and rob our passengers;
Which he, young wanton and effeminate boy,
Takes on the point of honour to support
2585So dissolute a crew.

Hotspur (Henry Percy). My lord, some two days since I saw the prince,
And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.

Duke of Aumerle. Remember, as thou read'st, thy promise pass'd:
I do repent me; read not my name there
2630My heart is not confederate with my hand.

Edmund of Langley. It was, villain, ere thy hand did set it down.
I tore it from the traitor's bosom, king;
Fear, and not love, begets his penitence:
Forget to pity him, lest thy pity prove
2635A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.

Henry IV. O heinous, strong and bold conspiracy!
O loyal father of a treacherous son!
Thou sheer, immaculate and silver fountain,
From when this stream through muddy passages
2640Hath held his current and defiled himself!
Thy overflow of good converts to bad,
And thy abundant goodness shall excuse
This deadly blot in thy digressing son.

Edmund of Langley. So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd;
2645And he shall spend mine honour with his shame,
As thriftless sons their scraping fathers' gold.
Mine honour lives when his dishonour dies,
Or my shamed life in his dishonour lies:
Thou kill'st me in his life; giving him breath,
2650The traitor lives, the true man's put to death.

Duchess of York. Not yet, I thee beseech:
For ever will I walk upon my knees,
2675And never see day that the happy sees,
Till thou give joy; until thou bid me joy,
By pardoning Rutland, my transgressing boy.

Edmund of Langley. Against them both my true joints bended be.
2680Ill mayst thou thrive, if thou grant any grace!

Duchess of York. Pleads he in earnest? look upon his face;
His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in jest;
His words come from his mouth, ours from our breast:
He prays but faintly and would be denied;
2685We pray with heart and soul and all beside:
His weary joints would gladly rise, I know;
Our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow:
His prayers are full of false hypocrisy;
Ours of true zeal and deep integrity.
2690Our prayers do out-pray his; then let them have
That mercy which true prayer ought to have.

Duchess of York. Nay, do not say, 'stand up;'
Say, 'pardon' first, and afterwards 'stand up.'
2695And if I were thy nurse, thy tongue to teach,
'Pardon' should be the first word of thy speech.
I never long'd to hear a word till now;
Say 'pardon,' king; let pity teach thee how:
The word is short, but not so short as sweet;
2700No word like 'pardon' for kings' mouths so meet.

Duchess of York. Dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy?
Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord,
That set'st the word itself against the word!
2705Speak 'pardon' as 'tis current in our land;
The chopping French we do not understand.
Thine eye begins to speak; set thy tongue there;
Or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear;
That hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce,
2710Pity may move thee 'pardon' to rehearse.

Henry IV. But for our trusty brother-in-law and the abbot,
With all the rest of that consorted crew,
Destruction straight shall dog them at the heels.
2725Good uncle, help to order several powers
To Oxford, or where'er these traitors are:
They shall not live within this world, I swear,
But I will have them, if I once know where.
Uncle, farewell: and, cousin too, adieu:
2730Your mother well hath pray'd, and prove you true.